A dethatching rake breaks up and removes thatch manually. Thatch forms an unattractive and interfering layer of dry grass, tangled roots, and dead leaves between soil and fresh grass. The handheld dethatching rake, like an ordinary rake, helps to eliminate thatch and make your lawn ready to absorb fertilizer and water.

Use a dethatching rake to make your lawn look greener and more robust. A dethatching rake resembles a sharp, two-sided rake with wide, sharp blades instead of tines. These gently curving blades are designed to cut apart intertwined roots and grass and yank the pieces to the surface. Once loosened, the dead material can be removed with a regular rake.

After thatch gets a chance to build up, water gets absorbed by this layer of plant waste, rather than sinking into soil. Fertilizer also has less of a chance to reach the roots of grass where it will make a real difference. Employing a dethatching rake can cut down on insect infestations, because they'll no longer have a damp, hidden place to live. It can also reduce the length and frequency of watering. On a cosmetic level, dethatching lets the grass spring up, looking fuller and healthier because you don't glimpse the brown, dead vegetation underneath.

Make a few passes across your yard with a dethatching rake just twice a year. Wait until the growing seasons when your lawn can withstand some hacking. The best time is in spring and fall. Mow your lawn to a lower height than usual, about 1" (2.5 cm). Holding the tool like a hoe, bite down into the ground and pull up at a steeper angle. You should see threads of dead roots and clumps of dead grass come to the surface.

Specialty dethatching rakes make the chore even easier. Some come as one tool that's part of a set. It screws onto an adaptable handle that might also attach a rake, broom, shovel, or other gardening instruments. Pendulum mounted varieties have springs and hinges that let the bladed head rotate so you don't need to apply as much pressure or change your angle of raking.